bold wise guide and I at last withdrew
into a place where nothing shines all. 130
5: Minos. Doom of Adulterers
1 Descending to the second ledge of Hell,
a smaller circle of intenser pain,
I heard again the sound of sorrowing.
4 Here demon Minos with his dragon tail
grins as he passes judgement on the dead
then sends them down to their due punishment.
7 Each ghost before him gibbers out its crimes.
The times he winds his tail around himself
show to which depths the wicked ghost must go.
10 Hell has ten rings. The demon’s tail is long.
The throng of souls, ceaselessly pouring in,
are never slow in blurting out their sin,
13 then hurl themselves down through appalling space
onto the right ledge of the hellish pit
that is forever now their dwelling place.
16 “YOU have no place here!” Minos bawled at me,
seeing we did not pause but walked straight through,
not stopping to be judged, “Take care! Beware!
19 Hell’s open door is not kept wide for you!”
“Minos,” my guide replied, “forces too high
for you to know insist this man may go
unhurt through every door there is in Hell. 22
Our business is not yours, and so farewell.”
New sounds of lamentation reached my ear,
a rushing tumult mixed with howling yell. 25
We entered darkness – darkness bellowing
like ocean tempests combating together.
A hurricane of ghosts went wailing past 28
under the lofty cliff that was their coast.
I saw lost souls tossed, spinning in the blast
and buffeted again, again, again, 31
against the granite wall that penned them in.
I knew this endless storm of sorry souls
must be the just and proper doom of all 34
who sin because their overwhelming lust
quelled reason’s light. A rockslide in the cliff
had formed the gap we came through. Seeing us 37
the storm of fleeing, yelling ghosts blasphemed
much louder, wheeled like starlings in their flight,
screaming onwards like cranes hopeless of rest 40
or lesser pains. “Master,” cried I, “name some
so mercilessly whipped by this dark air.”
He said, “There’s one whose history you know – 43
wife of a king who made her empress queen
of all the lands now ruled by the Sultan.
Her sexual appetites were so obscene 46
she legalised all kinds of viciousness.
Her name is Semiramis. Dido there
49 swore she would only wed one man. Him dead,
she took instead another mate and then
committed suicide when he escaped –
52 Helen of Troy, so opportunely raped –
Cleopatra whose expertise in love
was legend – see too the many men –
55 Paris – Achilles – Tristan – Lancelot—”
He pointed out so many souls condemned
for fleshly lust, it filled me with dismay
58 to see such noble people led astray
by love that ought to be our greatest joy.
“Poet,” I said, “let me talk with that pair
61 who seem more gently carried by the air.”
Said he, “If they come near enough to hear
Invite them by the love they clearly share.”
64 The wind now tossed them close. “O harried souls,”
I cried, “if none forbid, please talk to me!”
Like homing doves they glided to my side.
67 One said, “Dear good and kindly living soul
who frees us briefly from our storm-tossed state,
if we could pray we’d pray that you find rest –
70 that blessed rest that cannot be our fate.
The only way to show our gratitude
for these few moments out of whirling Hell
73 is telling you all that you wish to know.
My birthplace was a town where River Po
enters the sea. I married lovelessly
a hard old man. His brother at my side 76
whom I love still, had youth and gentleness.
As he enjoyed my body we were found
and slain. Our killer’s place in Hell will be 79
among the murderers who followed Cain.”
Sighing, I bowed my head. My guide enquired,
“What thought distresses you?” “Sorrow for youth 82
and what befalls youth’s sweetness,”
I replied, “Francesca, please believe I pity
